1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a seat belt retractor having a portion for absorbing energy of an impact to the retractor.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A known vehicle seat belt retractor includes a sensor mechanism for actuating a spool locking mechanism of the retractor. The retractor must be able to pass a xe2x80x9cdrop testxe2x80x9d; that is, the retractor must be able to withstand being dropped from a height of one meter onto a hard ground surface without damage to the sensor mechanism. It is known to cover a portion of the retractor with a piece of foam to cushion the retractor, to enable the retractor to pass the drop test.
The present invention is a seat belt retractor comprising a spool supported on a base for rotation relative to the base about an axis in a belt retraction direction and an opposite belt withdrawal direction. A length of belt webbing wound on the spool is extensible from the retractor for helping to protect an occupant of the vehicle. The retractor includes a spool locking mechanism for blocking rotation of the spool in the belt withdrawal direction.
A sensor mechanism is supported on the base. A cover secured to the base has a main body portion covering the sensor mechanism. The cover has a plurality of legs projecting from the main body portion. The legs are resiliently deformable to absorb energy of impact to the retractor.